Dehumidifier with hose connection that actually works ("LG" brand from HD doesn't)
 

I just bought an "LG" dehumidifier from The Home Depot (yeah, yeah, I
know, buying from HD is always a mistake). The box claimed that it had
a threaded hose connection, but when I opened it up, I discovered that
what it has instead is a disconnected plastic pipe, about nine inches
long, with threads at one end and narrower at the other end.

To use a hose, you're supposed to (a) punch out the cut-out in the back
of the dehumidifier about a foot from the bottom, (b) screw the plastic
pipe into a hose, (c) insert the pipe into the cut-out hole in the back
far enough for the other end to enclose the plastic pipe that the water
drips out of, and (d) "lock" the pipe into place with a couple of
plastic tabs sticking out of it.

Of course, it doesn't work, for many reasons, including:

* The plastic tabs are just barely enough to hold the pipe in place
when a hose is attached to it and putting weight on it. You have to
get everything Exactly Right to get it to stay, and even the slightest
jostle can dislodge it. Furthermore, it's obvious that over time, the
plastic tabs will mold to the position they're wedged into and thus
stop applying pressure, at which point they'll completely stop holding
the pipe in place.

* The pipe is horizontal, which means that you need to tilt the
humidifier slightly backwards to have any chance at all of water
running into the hose, as opposed to running into the pipe and
immediately running back out into the bucket beneath the water outlet.

* The pipe attaches right where the water drips out, not at the bottom
of the bucket, which means that there's no water pressure to force the
water into the hose. As a result, it doesn't actually go into the
hose; it instead drips back out into the bucket or (worse) finds some
other avenue of escape and runs all over the floor.

* The instructions claim that the hose should be kept completely flat
but do not explain how exactly you're supposed to do that when the
pipe is inserted into the back of the dehumidifier about a foot off of
the ground.

I don't think the dehumidifier has a manufacturing defect; I just think
it's yet another example of a shoddy manufacturer attempting to graft a
"feature" onto a product without caring that the design they've come up
with won't actually work. If I had to guess, I'd guess that the hose
connection method was poorly grafted onto an already finished
dehumidifier design in the cheapest possible way.

I've seen Usenet postings suggesting that I install a bulkhead hose
fitting near the bottom of the bucket and run a hose from there. I'm
sure I could do that, but I'd rather just buy a dehumidifier which has
a proper hose draining design. Can anybody recommend one?

--
Help stop the genocide in Darfur!
http://www.genocideintervention.net/

Dehumidifier with hose connection that actually works ("LG" brand from HD doesn't)
 

I just called Sears to ask whether their Kenmore dehumidifiers are any
better. They said that the hose attaches above the bucket and uses an
"adapter", which makes me suspect that it has many of the same problems
as the LG dehumidifier. *sigh*

--
Help stop the genocide in Darfur!
http://www.genocideintervention.net/

Dehumidifier with hose connection that actually works ("LG" brand from HD doesn't)
 

(Jonathan Kamens) writes:

I'm sure I could do that, but I'd rather just buy a dehumidifier
which has a proper hose draining design. Can anybody recommend one?

I inherited a Hampton Bay (a HomeDepot brand perhaps?) model HB50
dehumidifier with my current home that includes a threaded hose
connection just above the built in tank.

Screw on a standard hose, tape the lever switch as though there's a
tank installed and off ya go.

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

Dehumidifier with hose connection that actually works ("LG"brand from HD doesn't)
 

On Tue, 1 Aug 2006, Jonathan Kamens wrote:

I just bought an "LG" dehumidifier from The Home Depot (yeah, yeah, I
know, buying from HD is always a mistake). The box claimed that it had
a threaded hose connection, but when I opened it up, I discovered that
what it has instead is a disconnected plastic pipe, about nine inches
long, with threads at one end and narrower at the other end.


I encountered the same thing with the Home Despot LG low temperature
model. I ended up putting the pipe in place and then putting a sheet
metal screw through the plastic tab on the end so that you have to unscrew
the screw in order to remove the pipe.

Works OK, have not had the bucket fill up while I wasn't looking or the
pipe leak all over the floor since my fix. I am sure the plastic will
break given time and I will be back to square one.

Dehumidifier with hose connection that actually works ("LG" brand from HD doesn't)
 

My 30 pint Goldstar has a proper hose connection directly into the bottom
corner of the tank. So does my 30 pint GE. I don't use them with a hose, but
they seem like they would work just fine and pretty much drain all the water
out as it is condensed.

--
Dennis

Dehumidifier with hose connection that actually works ("LG" brand from HD doesn't)
 

I have a related question....

With a sealed sump pit, what's the prescribed way of putting a hose
into action for this duty? I assume cutting a hole for the hose,
caulking aroun dit, and somehow forming the hose into its own P trap
shape to seal the gasses into the pit would be the way to go? I have
a dehumidifier right next to a sealed pit, but far from teh floor
drain.


--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

Dehumidifier with hose connection that actually works ("LG" brandfrom HD doesn't)
 

Jonathan Kamens wrote:

I just called Sears to ask whether their Kenmore dehumidifiers are any
better. They said that the hose attaches above the bucket and uses an
"adapter", which makes me suspect that it has many of the same problems
as the LG dehumidifier. *sigh*

The current Sears models are also made by LG. Check the reviews. Some
people have reported excellent results, others aren't happy.

Dehumidifier with hose connection that actually works ("LG" brandfrom HD doesn't)
 

Jonathan Kamens wrote:

I just bought an "LG" dehumidifier from The Home Depot (yeah, yeah, I
know, buying from HD is always a mistake). The box claimed that it had
a threaded hose connection, but when I opened it up, I discovered that
what it has instead is a disconnected plastic pipe, about nine inches
long, with threads at one end and narrower at the other end.

Sears models are also currently made by LG. Other names may be as well.



To use a hose, you're supposed to (a) punch out the cut-out in the back
of the dehumidifier about a foot from the bottom, (b) screw the plastic
pipe into a hose, (c) insert the pipe into the cut-out hole in the back
far enough for the other end to enclose the plastic pipe that the water
drips out of, and (d) "lock" the pipe into place with a couple of
plastic tabs sticking out of it.

Of course, it doesn't work, for many reasons, including:

* The plastic tabs are just barely enough to hold the pipe in place
when a hose is attached to it and putting weight on it. You have to
get everything Exactly Right to get it to stay, and even the slightest
jostle can dislodge it. Furthermore, it's obvious that over time, the
plastic tabs will mold to the position they're wedged into and thus
stop applying pressure, at which point they'll completely stop holding
the pipe in place.

* The pipe is horizontal, which means that you need to tilt the
humidifier slightly backwards to have any chance at all of water
running into the hose, as opposed to running into the pipe and
immediately running back out into the bucket beneath the water outlet.

* The pipe attaches right where the water drips out, not at the bottom
of the bucket, which means that there's no water pressure to force the
water into the hose. As a result, it doesn't actually go into the
hose; it instead drips back out into the bucket or (worse) finds some
other avenue of escape and runs all over the floor.

To be fair, there wouldn't be any "water pressure" if the outlet was at the
bucket bottom either, for the simple reason that if the water's immediately
going out the tube, it's not collecting anywhere to create any pressure via
pascal's law and gravity.

I believe they put the outlet higher up rather than at the bucket bottom so
that the humdifier could be used with a hose while sitting on the floor.
If the outlet was at the bottom of the bucket, you would have to have the
unit up higher to make room for the hose underneath. Also if the outlet
was on the side of the bucket, some quantity of water would remain in the
bucket at all times, leading to stagnant water, bacteria, mold problems,
re-evaporating back into the air thereby reducing efficiency, etc.

Dehumidifier with hose connection that actually works ("LG" brand from HD doesn't)
 

Mine is built like that and it hasn't gotten dislodged. You don't have to
worry about the plastic fingers holding it in place wearing out in time
because the crap dehumidifiers won't last long enuf for that to happen. A
good dehumidifier cost $500 a decade ago. The current crop cost $200. If
they last 3 years you are lucky. That is why they eliminated the 5 year
refrigeration system warranty.


"Fred" wrote in message ...


Jonathan Kamens wrote:

I just bought an "LG" dehumidifier from The Home Depot (yeah, yeah, I
know, buying from HD is always a mistake). The box claimed that it had
a threaded hose connection, but when I opened it up, I discovered that
what it has instead is a disconnected plastic pipe, about nine inches
long, with threads at one end and narrower at the other end.

Sears models are also currently made by LG. Other names may be as well.



To use a hose, you're supposed to (a) punch out the cut-out in the back
of the dehumidifier about a foot from the bottom, (b) screw the plastic
pipe into a hose, (c) insert the pipe into the cut-out hole in the back
far enough for the other end to enclose the plastic pipe that the water
drips out of, and (d) "lock" the pipe into place with a couple of
plastic tabs sticking out of it.

Of course, it doesn't work, for many reasons, including:

* The plastic tabs are just barely enough to hold the pipe in place
when a hose is attached to it and putting weight on it. You have to
get everything Exactly Right to get it to stay, and even the slightest
jostle can dislodge it. Furthermore, it's obvious that over time, the
plastic tabs will mold to the position they're wedged into and thus
stop applying pressure, at which point they'll completely stop holding
the pipe in place.

* The pipe is horizontal, which means that you need to tilt the
humidifier slightly backwards to have any chance at all of water
running into the hose, as opposed to running into the pipe and
immediately running back out into the bucket beneath the water outlet.

* The pipe attaches right where the water drips out, not at the bottom
of the bucket, which means that there's no water pressure to force the
water into the hose. As a result, it doesn't actually go into the
hose; it instead drips back out into the bucket or (worse) finds some
other avenue of escape and runs all over the floor.

To be fair, there wouldn't be any "water pressure" if the outlet was at
the
bucket bottom either, for the simple reason that if the water's
immediately
going out the tube, it's not collecting anywhere to create any pressure
via
pascal's law and gravity.

I believe they put the outlet higher up rather than at the bucket bottom
so
that the humdifier could be used with a hose while sitting on the floor.
If the outlet was at the bottom of the bucket, you would have to have the
unit up higher to make room for the hose underneath. Also if the outlet
was on the side of the bucket, some quantity of water would remain in the
bucket at all times, leading to stagnant water, bacteria, mold problems,
re-evaporating back into the air thereby reducing efficiency, etc.